Polarized dual lamp unit with polarizing diodes



July 8, 1969 s U H ET AL 3,454,826 POLARIZED DUAL LAMP UNIT WITH POLARIZING DIODES Filed May 5, 1967 FIG.

F G. 3 LAMP ASSEMBLY EXTERNAL c/Rcu/mr QQE- P8 s. E. BUSH Zf P.E.CROU$E f ATTORNEY I C2 8a United States Patent 3,454,826 POLARIZED DUAL LAMP UNIT WITH POLARIZING DIODES Stanley E. Bush, Jackson, and Parker E. Crouse, Holmdel, N..l., assignors to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, Murray Hill, N.J., a corporation of New York Filed May 5, 1967, Ser. No. 636,362 Int. Cl. H05b 7/02; H01k 9/00, 1/62 US. Cl. 31571 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A unitary plural lamp assembly is disclosed comprising two incandescent lamps and two diodes. The lamps are viewably supported above the top surface of a cylindrically shaped housing which encases the diodes and lamp filament conductors. Two leaf-like metal strips are aflixed to the outer side surface of the housing and extend beyond the bottom housing surface. The extended strip portions are curved toward one another forming a two-terminal slide-type base.

Background of the invention This invention relates to a unitary plural lamp assembly.

It is often desirable to increase the number of lamp indications available from a lamp position. Such a situation frequently occurs in communication systems particularly when additional lamp signals are needed in conjunction with a new service feature. Oftentimes, the space desired for additional lamps is exhausted and thus the needed signals are provided by appropriate flashing combinations of an existing lamp.

A practical consideration which presents itself in such flashing lamp arrangements is that there is limit beyond which a viewer cannot uniquely distinguish different flashing signals. Therefore, it is generally desirable to use only a few different flashing lamp signals from a single lamp position. This is particularly true where a high grade of service is to be maintained. In addition, the circuitry required to furnish flashing lamp signals has proven to be costly, complex and burdensome to integrate into the existing equipment.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to increase the number of distinctive lamp indications available from a single lamp position.

It is another object to reduce the cost and complexity of circuitry involved in providing such additional distinctive lamp indications at a single lamp position.

Summary 0 the invention The foregoing and other objects are attained in accordance with a specific illustrative embodiment of the invention in which two incandescent lamps are mounted on a unitary lamp housing which can be inserted into an existing single lamp position socket. One lamp is clear and the other is red colored and either, or both, may be selectively lighted for enabling a viewer facilely to distinguish e'ach lamp indication. The housing encases two diodes which interconnect the lamps with two leaf-like metal terminals aflixed to the outer side housing surface. The metal terminals contact mating and interfitting metal segments of the lamp socket to provide for electrical circuit control of the two lamps.

structurally, the lamp assembly includes a cylindrical body with parallel top and bottom surfaces forming the main component of the assembly. Two leaf-like thin metal strips, each including a pair of wing-shaped extension members, are affixed contiguously to quarter segments of the outer side surface of the housing. Each strip 3,454,826 Patented July 8, 1969 also includes a lower extending member which protrudes beyond the bottom plane surface of the housing parallel to a longitudinal axis of the housing. The latter members arch inwardly toward the axis of the body and at their ends are joined together by an insulating cement.

The housing contains three bores parallel to the axis of the housing and running its entire length. One filament conductor of each mounted lamp extends into an individual bore opening in the top surface and is connected to a diode lodged within the housing bore. Additional conductors are connected to the diodes and extended through the bore openings in the housing bottom surface for connection to a first one of the aforementioned metal strip members. The remaining lamp filament conductors extend into a narrower third bore opening in the top housing surface through the housing body and exit via a bore opening in the bottom housing surface. These conductors connect to a second one of the aforementioned metal strip members.

When the assembly is inserted into a two-terminal lamp socket the two mounted lamps are lighted by selectively connecting positive or negative cycles of an AC.

(alternating current) voltage source to the lamp socket terminals via polarizing diodes and switches.

Thus in accordance with an aspect of our invention the assembly comprises two lamps mounted on a housing which encases diode devices for selectively controlling the lighting of such lamps. The assembly further includes formed metal electrical terminals affixed to the outer side housing surface and connected to the lamp filaments and diodes, and advantageously interfits as a replacement unitary dual lamp apparatus within a single lamp socket, formerly used for a single lamp, to provide "the distinctive indication by each lamp of the dual apparatus.

Description of the drawing The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be more clearly understood from a reading of the following description of an illustrative embodiment with reference to the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 sets forth a perspective view of the dual lamp assembly;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the lamp housing body indicated by cutting plane 22 in FIG. 1 and shows the diodes and lamp conductors encased therein; and

FIG. 3 depicts schematically an illustrative circuit for lighting the lamps.

Detailed description Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the exemplary embodiment includes a cylindrically shaped housing body 1 having a top fiat surface 3 and a bottom flat surface 4. Housing 1 contains three inner wall members 5, 6 and 7, as shown in FIG. 2, defining three separate and distinct bores, or passages, each having top surface openings 10, 11 and 12, respectively. Members 5, 6 and 7 traverse, parallel to a longitudinal axis a-a of housing 1, the entire length of the housing and terminate in bottom surface openings 14, 15 and 16, respectively.

The electrical contactor terminals of the lamp assembly which interfits with a socket (not shown) are the metal strips 20 and 22 secured by cement (not shown) and contiguous to the outer surface In of housing 1. Strips 20 and 22 include sectional members 20a and 22a which protrude beyond bottom surface 4. The attached strips form a lamp base well known as a slide-type. Strips 20 and 22 include winged shaped extension members 21 and 23 of FIG. 1. Each strip includes two such members, however, only one is visible in the perspective view of FIG. 1. The members not visible are essentially identical to those shown in FIG. 1 and are symmetrical with respect to strips 20 and 22.

The members 20a and 22a extend beyond bottom surface 4 and are curved inwardly from the outer surface 1a toward axis aa of housing 1. The end portions of these members are joined together by cement 17. They are so affixed to prevent members 20a and 22a from parting, bending, or otherwise distorting when inserted into a lamp socket.

The above-described electrical terminals interfit with bayonet or slide type lamp sockets. The lamp assembly is plunged or inserted into such a socket and electrical contact is made with mating spring-like metal strips (not shown) which extend inwardly from the inner side walls of the socket housing. Strips 20 and 22 and extending members 20a and 22a are positioned on housing surface 1a to engage the socket strips and to exert a force to urge them against the socket terminals to insure electrical contact therebetween.

Housing 1 is composed of an electrically nonconductive material and is illustratively constructed from round stock, such as a plastic or fibrous cylindrical material, and comprises three bores defined by the wall members 5, 6 and 7 which are substantially parallel to one another for the entire length of the housing and encase the conductors C1-C6 as well as the diodes 18 and 19. It is within the scope of our teaching to construct housing 1 of a molded structure in which event the diodes 18 and 19 and filament conductors C1-C6 are preformed and interconnected as a unitary subassernbly before being in serted into a mold casting to form housing 1.

Incandescent lamps 8 and 9 have respective filaments 8a and 9a which are enclosed within respective evacuated globes 8b and 9b and which are electrically connected to filament conductors C1, C2, C and C6 extending through globes 8b and 9b. Conductors C1, C2, C5 and C6 extend through respective top surface openings 10, 12 and 11 for interconnection with the diode devices 18 and 19 and the metal strip member 22a. These interconnections advantageously enable lamps 8 and 9 to be supported, or mounted, about the top housing surface 3 in alignment with the respective bores defined by wall members 7 and 5 and within the projection of the circumferential side surfaces b and c. The alignment lessens the probability of breaking lamp globes and conductors when the lamp assembly is installed or removed from a lamp socket. Globe 8b is clear and globe 9b is red colored for selectively providing distinctive lamp indications upon their respective lamp filaments being energized to incandescence as hereinafter explained.

As shown in the sectional view of FIG. 2 (along section 22 of FIG. 1), diode 18 is located within the bore of wall member 5 and therein has its anode electrode 18a electrically connected to conductor C1 while its cathode electrode 18b is connected to the metal strip 20a via a conductor C3 which extends through the bottom surface opening 14 and is soldered to strip 20a. Similarly, diode 19 is located within the bore of wall member 7 and therein has its cathode electrode 191: electrically connected to conductor C2 while its anode electrode 19b is connected to the metal strip member 20a via conductor C4 which extends through the bottom surface opening 16 and is soldered to member 20a. Filament conductors C5 and C6 extend through the top surface, or entrance opening 11, the smaller diameter bore defined by wall member 6, and the bottom surface, or exit opening 15 for solder connection to metal strip 22a. The portions of the conductors C1, C2, C5 and C6 exposed above top housing surface 3 are sufficiently long to allow for air circulation between surface 3 and lamps 8 and 9 for heat dissipation.

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the dual lamp assembly and the control circuitry including an A.C. power source 23, diodes 24 and 25, and the switches 26 and 27 utilized for selectively energizing the lamp filaments 8a and 9a to an incandescent state. Filament 8a is lighted upon the closing of switch 26. The latter completes a path for connecting positive half-cycles of the A.C. voltage recurrently supplied by source 23 at its terminal 28 through contacts of switch 26, diode 24, socket terminal 29, contactor strip 20, conductor C4, diode 19 and conductor C2 to lamp 8 for energizing its filament 8a to the incandescent state. The return path of the energizing circuit is from filament 8a through conductor C6, contactor strip 22 and socket terminal 30 to the source 23 via conductor 31.

Similarly, lamp filament 9a is lighted upon the closure of switch 27. The latter completes a path for connecting negative half-cycles of the A.C. voltage recurrently supplied by source 23 at its terminal 28 through contacts of switch 27, diode 25, socket terminal 29, strip 20, conductor C3, diode 18, and conductor C1 to lamp 9 for energizing its filament 9a to the incandescent state. The return path of the energizing circuit is from filament 9a through conductor C5, contactor strip 22 and terminal 30 to source 23 via conductor 31.

It is to be understood that the hereinbefore described arrangements are illustrative of the application of the principles of this invention. In light of this teaching, it is apparent that numerous other arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A unitary dual lamp apparatus assembly comprising two incandescent lamps each of which includes an evacuated globe, a filament within said globe and first and second conductors connected to said filament and extending through said globe, a slide-type base having two terminals, one of which is connected to said first conductor of each of said lamps, and two diodes positioned within said base, each of said second conductors being serially connected through an individual one of said diodes to a second one of said terminals, said diodes being connected oppositely poled to said second terminal.

2. A unitary multilamp apparatus assembly comprising a plurality of devices selectively energizable for emitting light and each one having two energizing conductors connected thereto, a housing with plane top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of wall members each one defining a bore and having an opening in said top and bottom surfaces, control means positioned within each one of said wall members, a first one of each of said conductors extending into a selected one of said top surface openings and connected within said wall members to said control means therein for supporting the respective device above said top surface, a plurality of metal terminals contiguous to the outer side surface of said housing and extending beyond said bottom surface, and terminal conductors connected to said metal terminals at said extended portion thereof and being projected through selected ones of said bottom surface openings and the respective wall member bores to said control means and a second one of said energizing conductors.

3. A replacement unitary dual lamp apparatus assembly for insertion into a single lamp socket position formerly used for a single lamp and being controllable to provide distinctive lamp indications with each lamp compr1smg:

a housing having bottom and top surfaces, an outer side surface and wall members each one of which defines a bore and extends the length of said housing between said surfaces and having openings thereon,

two incandescent lamps, each having first and second conductors extending therefrom into prescribed ones of said bores via said respective top surface openings,

two diode devices each being located in an individual one of said wall member bores and being electrically connected to an individual one of said first lamp conductors,

two contactor metal terminals affixed to said outer side surface, each of said terminals having a sectional member extending beyond said bottom surface and said extended terminals being curved inwardly toward one another and having respective free ends within close proximity,

a pair of conductors each being connected to an individual one of said terminals and to said diodes, and

said second lamp conductors being extended into a predetermined one of said top surface openings through the respective wall members and said respective bottom surface opening to a second one of said terminals, thereby to provide both electrical connections for selectively energizing each one of said lamps to incandescence as well as structurally supporting each said lamp above said top surface.

4. The invention set forth in claim 3 further comprising an insulating cement for securing the free ends of said sectional members within close proximity to maintain the curved shape of the extended portion of said terminals as well as the electrical isolation therebetween.

5. The invention claimed in claim 3 wherein said housing comprises a cylindrical body having a cylindrically shaped outer side surface, said top surface being a top plane surface of said body and each one of said contactor terminals including a metallic strip aflixed to the outer side surface of the body and which covers a quarter Segment thereof.

6. The invention set forth in claim 5 wherein said wall members define three distinct bores substantially parallel to each other and extend the length of said cylindrical body, the diameter of two of said bores being suflicient to contain said diodes and said lamp conductors connected thereto, and a third one of said bores having a smaller diameter for containing said second lamp conductors.

7. A unitary lamp apparatus assembly comprising:

a first and a second incandescent lamp, each of which includes a globe, a filament within the globe and first and second conductors connected to said filament and extending through said globe,

a cylindrical body having an outer side surface, and top and bottom plane surfaces parallel to each other and perpendicularly disposed to a longitudinal axis of said body,

said body also having three passages extending its entire length, each pasage having an entrance opening in said top plane surface and an exit opening in said bottom plane surface,

two leaf metal strips each being aflixed contiguously to a quarter segment of said outer side surface of said body, each of said strips having a. sectional member extending beyond said bottom surface of said body and said extended strip members curved inwardly toward one another and having respective free ends thereof projecting toward said axis of said body,

a first and a second diode positioned in respective first and second ones of said passages,

said first conductor of said first lamp extended through said entrance opening of a first one of said passages and connected to said first diode, said first conductor of said second lamp extended through said entrance opening of a second one of said passages and connected to said second diode, each of said second lamp conductors extended through said entrance opening of a third one of said passages, said third passages and said exit opening thereof and being electrically connected to one of said metal strips,

a pair of conductors connected to the other one of said metal strips, and

one of said latter conductors extending through said exit opening of said first passage and serially connected through said first diode to said first lamp filament, the other one of said pair of conductors extending through the exit opening of said second passage and therein serially connected through said second diode to said second lamp filament, said diodes being connected oppositely poled with respec to said last mentioned metal strip. 1

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,324,212 7/1943 Insley 315-71 2,682,650 6/1954 Zion 339-188 2,992,364 7/1961 Rasmessen 315--201 X 3,032,738 5/1962 Bonanno 339176 3,201,754 8/1965 Reiner et al. 317-150 X JAMES W. LAWRENCE, Primary Examiner.

C. R. CAMPBELL, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

